"Hanging on to Hope" PG-13, X2 (Sean, Chamber)

Fic: Hanging on to Hope Author: Wildfire Rating: PG-13(for talk of suicide) Summary: Xavier has asked the teachers and older team members to be mentors(Charles

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, Oct 5, 2003

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Fic: Hanging on to Hope
Author: Wildfire
Rating: PG-13(for talk of suicide)
Summary: Xavier has asked the teachers and older team members to be
mentors(Charles included) to the younger generation, so Banshee takes
Chamber under his wing.
Series: none, but all my fics do go together.
Feedback: send it to me!
Disclaimer: I don't own the songs, or any of the characters, no money
is made.
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Sean Cassidy ran a hand through his short reddish hair, it had been
long once, but after finding his daughter a year ago, he cut it, as
his hair had grown long since his first wife's death from a terrorist
attack near their home in Ireland. Sean had known nothing of Theresa
even being alive, but thanks to Xavier he had found his daughter.

Sean walked through the halls of the school, occasionally bumping
into students on his way to one of his teammate's rooms, he could
hear music blaring down the hallway and immediately knew Jono was in
there. He recognized the song, and knew Jon wasn't in that great a
mood, it was Seether's "Hang on" as one of the lines went:

Well now I found myself
Wish I was someone else
My hands are stained with love
Wish I could take it away
I hid behind the shell
In time the pain will melt
My heart is stained with love
Wish I could fake it

I gave my life away
There's nothing left to say
I gave my life away
You take it in your way

"One of the main songs he's plays when he's feeling bad" thought
Sean. Knocking on the door, he yelled," Jonothon? you mind turning
that down just a wee bit?" - Sure mate, sorry - Jono replied
telepathically and opened the door.

Jonothon Starsmore had once been a talented youth in his native
England, even being barely into his teens he was a reasonably well
known musician and singer, and the fact that his family was quite
wealthy helped matters, life was good until his mutation developed;
psionic energy blew a hole in his chest, destroying his vital organs
and the bottom part of his face, he didn't need to eat or drink, he
couldn't talk so he had to rely on telepathy to communicate.

"Jono, me boy it's a beautiful day, why did you lock yourself up in
here?" asked Sean. - Go away Sean I don't want to talk about it -
Replied Jon. "Why?" he heard what must've been the equivilant to a
telepathic sigh in his head as Jono turned off his CD player and
stepped out of his room. - Well, I don't really know how to say this
but...it's been six years today since my "gift"(Sean could've sworn
he heard Chamber laughing at that, but he couldn't blame him) showed
up. -

Jono put the special wrappings he had over his chest cavitiy/energy
well, they were black leather, just like almost the entire rest of
his clothing, and specially designed to block his energy from hurting
others. "You wanna go somewhere, boy? Just to get out of the
school?" - Yeah Sean I'd like that -.

The two got in Sean's Jeep, driving to the same bar that Logan, Scott
and he met Chamber in, and since what happened on that day, the
barowner treated the mutants with dignity(although he had even before
then)...and had a few bats and a loaded shotgun under the bar for
anyone who tired to pick a fight the the people from xavier's.

The both sat down at a table, "So what exactly did happen if you want
to about it?" - Well...I was playing a few gigs with my band, singing
and playing my guitar, we weren't famous or amazingly wealthy but I
was happy; I had one of the best looking gels in the county for
my "friend". About a month before, I had felt a strange burning
sensation, no doctor could tell me anything so I kept it quiet. -

Sean listened intently as Jon told his story, he himself had
discovered his sonic abilities when he was in his teens, but kept
them a secret from everyone, his wife included. - Then one day I went
over to my gel's house, we start...y'know, and something just
exploded, I felt my chest on fire for a few seconds, then I just
blacked out, next thing I know I'm in some bloody hospital, wrapped
up like a damn mummy, and I've got physcotherapisists and doctors
asking me all sorts of questions. -

Jono sighed again, - I just took it all in, thinking this was some
kind of weird dream, days went by then weeks, and no one would tell
me a damn thing about what happened. I finally just got tired of it
and went to the bathroom, you know the ones were you can't break the
glass? I removed the bandages and saw what this had done to me; the
energy let loose, destroying the mirror, I grabbed a piece of glass,
slashing my wrists - Tears were in Jono's eyes.

"But you lost your heart in the blast" Sean stated. - Yeah, no heart,
so I couldn't bleed to death, I don't have lungs so I couldn't hang
or gas myself, and I don't eat, so poison was out too. how's that for
a bitch of a curse, I lose vital parts of my body, and I can't die. -

Sean was enthralled by this, he could sympathize, after Maeve's
death, he just buried himself in work so deep that he could ignore
his pain. - Well, eventually I got over it, my gel had been paralyzed
from the waist down in the blast, I lost my heart, she lost her legs.
And of course my parents saw me as a embarassment, but they did have
some sympathy, so they gave me a good amount of money to use, and to
be honest I was pretty close to being broke by the time I met you.
The only thing that keeps me going somedays is the fact that it
must've been meant for this to happen to me, that I have some purpose
for this "ability", and perhaps someday, she'll forgive me, and I can
forgive myself. -

Sean was doing his best not to cry, but it was difficult, he saw so
much of himself in this young man, and they had a lot more in common
than most would know from looking at them. "Well, Jono you've got a
new family here, with us, and we don't care what's happened in the
past, Charles has always believed in a fresh start," as he poured a
drink for both of them, he handed one to Chamber; "To hope" Sean
said, - To someday - replied Jono as the glasses clinked.

Something caught Jonothon's eyes, a guitar that was sitting on stage
in the bar, as they would occasionally have open mic here, just
seeing if anyone had some talent, he walked up to the bartender -
Mind if i? -, "go right ahead, kid" the bartender said. Jono walked
on stage grabbing the guitar, adjusting the strings a bit, before he
began to play. He played his heart out into that instrument, just a
old Jimi Hendrix song that he always enjoyed playing, but every one
in that bar, mutant or human had to appreciate his skill.

Jono's eyes were closed as he played, for seven minutes the only
thing he saw, the only thing he felt was the music, and it was just
like he had been back with his band in England; music was the only
time he really felt free, he could forget about Gayle, his mutation,
and the X-men, and just play. Sean smiled as he downed the last of
his drink when Jono finished. "That was amazing Jonothon, almost like
Hendrix was up on stage with you." - Thanks, Sean glad you enjoyed
it - replied Jono, the area above his wrapping crinkling up almost
looking like he was smiling as they drove back to Xavier's.

"Night, Jono" - Night, bloody Irish - Jon replied back jokingly. Jono
went back ot his room, sitting on his bed, as he put on his
headphones, he feel asleep while listening to "Voodoo Child". - At
least I still have hope, Gayle wherever you are, I'm sorry, luv - he
thought as he fell asleep.

- The End

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